A Want of Vigilance by Bill Backus

Author:Bill Backus
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)
ISBN: 9781611213010
Publisher: Savas Beatie
Published: 2015-10-18T16:00:00+00:00

By the time the Federal skirmish line was falling back, Warren was taking control of the field. Heath’s and Mallon’s brigades were already in position in the railroad. Heath’s line did not extend to Broad Run, creating a dangerous gap in the Federal line, and Mallon’s brigade was outflanked to their left by the oncoming Carolinians. To extend the Federal line south of Mallon, Warren ordered Hays’s brigades into line as fast as possible, throwing each regiment into the line as quickly as they entered the field.

In addition to the infantrymen quickly extending the line, Warren had three veteran artillery batteries soon in position. On a slight hill north of Broad Run in perfect position to enfilade the approaching Rebel line were four 12-pound Napoleons commanded by Lt. T. Frederick Brown. Immediately south of Broad Run from Brown, Capt. R. Bruce Ricketts’s 3-inch rifles deployed on a slight ridge. Still farther south, Capt. William Arnold’s Battery unlimbered their 3-inch rifles. Altogether, 14 Federal cannon awaited the charging Southerners.

The fire from the four batteries, along with the musketry from the retreating skirmish line, produced the first Confederate casualties of the battle. Unfortunately for the Rebels, one of the first men struck was Brig. General Cooke. A small piece of Northern lead hit Cooke’s shinbone, shattering the bone. With the experienced Cooke out of the fight, command of the brigade fell upon Colonel Hall of the 46th North Carolina, which one Tar Heel felt was “quite a fall to come down from General C to such a man as Col Hall.”

Around the same time that Cooke was hit, north of the road Brig. General Kirkland also went down with a serious wound. Command of the brigade passed to Col. Thomas Singletary of the 44th North Carolina. The presence of both commanders would be sorely missed.

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